There's just a week to go until Donington Park's
biggest motorsport event of the year, the Motul FIM Superbike World
Championship on 5-7 July.

The world's top superbike racers will all be in action at the East
Midlands circuit, with a new event format this year meaning the
stars of the show will race three times across the weekend for the
first time, while the new summer event date means fans will
hopefully bask in summer sunshine!

This year's championship battle is one of the closest in many
years. Leading British light Jonathan Rea, a former BBC Sports
Personality of the Year runner-up, has made World Superbikes his
own recently with Kawasaki, claiming four consecutive world titles.
But Spaniard Alvaro Bautista, a former MotoGP rider, has entered
the series with Ducati this year and well and truly upset the
established order!

Bautista won the first 11 races of the year, a new record for a
new arrival, but Northern Irishman Rea has fought back
magnificently in recent weeks with four wins of his own, and a
string of podium places. The pressure has begun to toll for
Bautista, as he's crashed out of good positions in two of the last
four races, meaning just 16 points separate the top two heading to
the only round in the UK.

It's not all about the top two though, Dutchman Michael van der
Mark sprung a surprise with a double win for Yamaha at Donington
last year, and has won again this season. Meanwhile Donington
locals Leon Haslam (Smalley) and Alex Lowes (Derby) have both
claimed multiple podiums this year, and have considerably more
knowledge of the Donington circuit compared to almost any other
rider in the line-up.

Kawasaki's Haslam is the reigning Bennetts British Superbike (BSB)
champion and has re-entered the world scene this season after three
years in the Britain's leading domestic category, while Yamaha's
Lowes is another former BSB champion and a Donington
ace.

There are two more Brits for home fans to support as well in the
form of Ducati's Chaz Davies and Tom Sykes, who has switched to BMW
for 2019. Sykes is almost unbeatable at Donington, having won nine
consecutive races at the circuit between 2014 and 2017, but as he
adapts to his new machine, it would take a very special performance
to return to his previous levels of Donington
domination.

Talking of the podium, World Superbikes provides unprecedented fan
involvement at the event, including ultra-close access to the
post-race celebrations for all races, including the support race
programme which includes World Supersport, World Supersport 300,
Pirelli National Superstock 1000 and the British Talent Cup. Fans
will be close enough to taste the spray from the winners' Prosecco
bottles!

In addition, spectators will also be able to enjoy the popular
Paddock Show, again free of charge to all visitors, which will
include rider appearances, games and quiz shows, giveaways and star
guest visits all weekend. The open paddock policy will also mean
fans can easily get autographs and selfies with the stars of the
show.

As well as the fierce on-track action, there's a big programme of
activities around the track, including a special Ducati display
featuring a range of bikes from the prestigious Italian
manufacturer. Other fun attractions include the Demon Drome stunt
Wall of Death stunt show, an Extreme Wheelie machine, a fairground,
children's face painting and live music on Friday and Saturday
evenings.

World Championship leader Alvaro Bautista commented: "It's been 10
years since I was last at Donington and I have good memories from
there. I got my first ever point in the world championship and also
my first ever podium. I hope to enjoy the track and see lots of
fans there!"

Nearest challenger Rea said: "My home race at Donington is so
special. It's the only race where all my family and friends can
come out to watch. I grew up racing in the national championships,
we have so much support from the British crowd too as well as
everyone at Kawasaki UK, so it's going to be really important to do
a good race."

Donington-local Haslam added: "Winning at my home round would be
fantastic. I've come close a lot of times with lots of seconds or
crashing out of the lead with 10 metres to go, and we managed to
finish second here as a Wildcard with Puccetti Kawasaki in 2017
which was nice. We've missed that World Championship win so to get
a win here would mean everything.

"When you're travelling the world it might look glamorous from the
outside, but it's a lot of time away and that little bit of
support, living down the road and having friends and family come
along definitely spurs you on a little bit
more."

Tickets for the Motul FIM Superbike World
Championship at Donington Park are available in advance from £25
for adults, with free entry for children under 13. Discounts are
also available for teenagers aged 13-15. For more information or to
book, click here.